Researchers have found that low sugar intake during the first 1,000 days of life reduces the risk of developing cancer, reports infohub.kz.
The study, published in ScienceDaily, showed that limiting sugar from conception to age two has a long-term positive effect on health, even 70 years later. The scientists analyzed historical data on sugar rationing in the UK after World War II, using the UK Biobank database.
They found that people who experienced sugar restriction in early childhood were less likely to develop five types of cancer: breast, prostate, liver, colorectal, and lung. Additionally, they showed signs of slower biological aging at the cellular level. Their telomeres were longer, equivalent to slowing aging by about 2.2 years, and their levels of the protein granulysin B were lower.
Experts note that early-life nutrition also shapes healthy taste preferences: participants in the study consumed less sugar even at age 50.